Commencement of Domestic Violence leave confirmed

First published: November 21st 2023
Last updated: November 21st 2023

The Government recently confirmed that domestic violence leave will come into effect on Monday, 27 November 2023.

How much domestic violence leave are employees entitled to?

Employees are entitled to take to up to five days’ paid leave in a 12-month period.

There is no minimum service requirement for employees. The entitlement to take domestic violence leave therefore is available to employees from day one of their employment.

How much pay do employees receive while on domestic violence leave?

Employees are entitled to their full rate of pay while on domestic violence leave.

The statutory instrument bringing domestic violence leave into effect should include further details on what constitutes the employee’s full rate of pay.

Domestic violence leave policy considerations

The Government has collaborated with Women’s Aid to provide guidance and practical supports to employers seeking to prepare to implement this latest employee entitlement.

A Guidance Note and Template Policy are available on a new website which are designed to help employers put an appropriate domestic violence leave policy in place for their workplace.

The Guidance Note is useful as it lets employers know what is mandatory under the legislation and also outlines certain other discretionary measures that organisations may want to consider putting in place.

Preparing for domestic violence leave

As the lead in time is very short, employers may need to seek expert advice if they are unclear on what their new statutory obligations are in respect of domestic violence leave.

The following steps should ensure that your business is ready for any employee queries on their new entitlements.

• Review the Template Policy and Guidance Notes on the www.DVatWork.ie website.
• Consider how to protect employee privacy and confidentiality.
• Consider who might be the best person to act as a designated person.
• Develop a communications plan to inform employees of their new rights, raise awareness and confirm how victims’ disclosures will be kept confidential.
• Consider what training requirements will be needed for line managers.
• Consider the impact of this new right on existing HR policies around health and safety, leave entitlements, working from home, confidentiality and employee welfare.

Expert HR support with Irish employment law compliance

There have been numerous changes to Irish employment law over the past year.

For help with preparing a domestic violence leave policy or HR support with any aspect of Irish employment law compliance affecting your business, call one of our HR experts today on 1800 719 216